Russia is assembling a group in the Kharkov direction – ISW

The American Institute for the Study of War in a new analysis report, based on reports of the redeployment of the Russian airborne battalion from the southern front to the Kursk region, recalls that Russia continues to build up its northern group, which might once more attack the north-east of Ukraine, including Kharkov. However, according to ISW, Russia does not yet have the strength to storm Kharkov in this direction, writes Air Force.

ISW analysts, citing Ukrainian military observer Konstantin Mashovets and a Russian military blogger, report that a battalion from the 76th (Pskov) Airborne Division was recently transferred to the Kursk region from the front in the Zaporozhye region.

According to Mashovets’ calculations, Russia has already gathered regarding 50 thousand soldiers into the Northern Group: more than 31 thousand in the Belgorod region, more than 10 thousand in the Kursk region and more than 8,000 in the Bryansk region.

Mashovets claims that Russian units, for the sake of camouflage, are unloaded at stations in the Kursk region, and then sent under their own power to Belgorodskaya, closer to Kharkov.

Many observers note that the Russians have recently stepped up attacks on Kharkov and the northeastern regions in general, as well as aerial reconnaissance in this region.

“The Russian army is reportedly forming and preparing the Northern Group from units of the Leningrad Military District for operations primarily in the Belgorod-Kharkov operational direction,” summarizes ISW.

“ISW continues to believe that the Russian army does not have sufficient forces to capture the city [Харьков]but Russian offensive operations once morest Kharkov or Sumy will delay and connect Ukrainian units from other, more important sectors of the front,” write analysts from the American Institute.